From Afar
by vyril17
Summary: This is an original story. / Do not read this story.


I haven't been writing but translating with helps from friends since I got on site, and now that I look back to all my stories that I wrote as a teenager, I felt lame and they really do look lame. Now that I had passed the English Examination (and got a fairly good result) and I am currently having my vacation, I can really settle down and take a deep breath. I am going to start writing today, but it is uncertain that I am going to finish it. I do not have much confidence writing in English. But I do want to write something done for myself, as it has been years since I've written fictional stories, and I think that I will be able to try some adult themes. The only thing I demand: criticism. But before I start anything, I think it's necessary that you know my age: I am in my 20s.

* * *

"They do have walkabouts here, do they?" The pale girl standing in front of the bar table muttered unconsciously. A goblet filled up with tequila was in her left hand, and a brochure was in her right hand. She was wearing a black tassel scarf and an extremely short shiny teal dress. She drank the tequila among the noises of the bar until bottom up. Then she banged the glass on the table as she yelled at the top of her lungs: "Bartender! Give me another shot."

The bartender hurried to her spot and glanced at the girl while making the drink for her. He asked suspiciously, "How old are you? Show me your ID."

The girl proudly took the card out of her pockets and pushed it until it reaches the bartender's eye. She had been a little tipsy already then. "Take a good look. I am twenty-four now!" She shouted.

"All right." The bartender shrugged, "Just making sure that there ain't any kids among us. It's a sin."

"C'on, don't open the bar if you want to be a saint." The girl continued blabbing without noticing the look on the bartender's face. "Is my tequila ready?"

The bartender suddenly stood straight with a terrible look on his face. In his eyes were many expressions: fear, doubt, surprise, disbelieve, and abhor. He handed the drink to the girl with his hands shaking as he uttered in a small voice to the girl:

"Are you a junkie?"

"Yeah, I were. But I haven't been fixing for two years now. AND I AM NOT GOING TO." The girl replied loudly. She quaffed and finished the drink in three minutes. "Got that in college. Haven't been learning a bit, but I went out with a bucket of bad habits." She confessed, "And, I lost my virtue."

"Wow." The bartender responded quickly, and then shut his mouth, refusing to talk to her again. That ended the conversation. But out of curiosity, he spoke a couple of minutes later, firing a question:

"So you fill yourself up with alcohol now? And you only drink tequila?"

"Oh relax, people got to have something to rely on! I can't use gum, every time I chew them my mouth swell. Tequila's my favorite. What? I know it's a liquor, but what do you expect me to drink? I've had my first glass of Baileys when I was twelve. So shut it."

_What a life was waiting before her._ The bartender thought secretly, _I guess either she's going to be homeless, or she'll end up being a prostitute. Oh, kids these days. They do nothing but screw themselves up. Look at her! Look at the spots on her arms! Look at her pale face! Saying that she hadn't been fixing for two years, I'd rather die than believing it. Kids these days._ He shook his head sadly like he was really a saint, mourning for the new generation as the girl stood up and banged the money on the bar table, leaving the bar as she wrapped herself up with a coat. She walked unsteadily to the bus stop.

**Cath!** A man behind her shouted, **Stop being so irresponsible!**

* * *

"Welcome to 37th Compound, the book club for teens of our neighborhood. I am your host for today, and my name is Edith Mason. Nice to meet you all." The girl standing before the blackboard bowed with a book in her hands. The boys and girls were sitting in a circle on cheap, plastic chairs that the neighborhood brought. They applauded with obvious indifference in their eyes - parents were told to sign the activity up for the kids in summer holidays.

"Today we are starting a new book called _Brave New World_ by Aldous Huxley. I am sure that you all heard of the title?" Edith asked tentatively. She was very much disappointed when most of the kids shook the heads while an eager girl raised her arm.

"Yes, Ann." Edith invited the girl to speak.

"My mother say that we can't read it until the twelveth grade! It's not for children, Ms Mason." The girl stated with certainty on her face.

"You're probably right. It contains many sexual descriptions. It's not for kids. Thanks, Ann. And call me Edith. I'm only 23 or something." Edith frowned at the book in her hands, and smirked at the girl who spoke before putting the book away. "Not so much older than you, I suppose. Now let's continue _The Giver _we read last week, shall we?"

"Edith." Another teenager, this time a boy raised his hand, "When are we going to read _Ender's Game_? And another thing, my sister said that your grades were excellent at school. How do you achieve that? Can you share some tips with us? How to get good grades without working really hard, Edith?"

Edith rolled her eyes, and then answered the boy with much seriousness, "I don't suppose, Nathan, that I do really good at school. I don't know Sally really well but whatever she thinks about me, it's not right. We'll do _Ender's Game_ the week after. Now everyone, read quietly for fifteen minutes, and then we'll share thoughts."

* * *

That's pretty much of it. I need criticism. Oh and btw, the original title was 'The Angel and The Demon'. ;)


End file.
